Neglected chimneys, heaters pose fire hazards

As homeowners click on heating appliances to keep warm this winter, they increase their chances of sparking a fire.

But local fire officials and professional chimney cleaning businesses say many disasters can be averted simply by maintaining equipment.

“People don’t clean their pipes and it starts smoking up the wood, and the next thing you know, it’s not going anywhere,” said Danielson Fire Department Chief Gerry Marchettere. “Most of these issues are just about plain housekeeping.”

Since Thanksgiving, house fires in Brooklyn, Gales Ferry and Voluntown have displaced a dozen people across the region. Voluntown Fire Chief Jody Grenier said a faulty appliance is suspected to have caused a Monday morning blaze on Beachdale Road that left the building uninhabitable and displaced three people.

Grenier said officials are “leaning toward” a malfunctioning dryer as the culprit, but the incident remains under investigation.

Between 2009 and 2011, fireplaces, chimneys and chimney connectors were responsible for about 72,500 fires across the nation, causing an estimated $92.4 million in damage and killing about 30 people, according to the nonprofit Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Portable and local fixed heaters caused 16,00 residential structure fires over that same span, with a combined death toll of 290 in those three years, the institute reported.

Lorraine and Rick Smith, co-owners of Thompson-based Loric Chimney Services, said in addition to safety precautions, cleaning out ducts and other fire control systems is usually required as part of a homeowner’s insurance policy.

“The insurance companies are now requiring it, because they want that chimney to be safe,” Lorraine Smith said. “And if people are using them for heating or wood stoves, I would recommend they be cleaned every year for blockage and buildup so they can run 24/7 and be safe.”

In many rural communities where wood-burning stoves are used as primary heating sources, Grenier said, the perils of an improperly working chimney are especially high.

“The biggest thing is early detection. You have to help yourself. You can be your own worst enemy,” he said. “From my years of experience, it’s making sure there’s no lint build up, making sure vents are clean, making sure wood stoves have the proper clearances and proper chimney inspections are done by a licensed chimney sweep or mason.”